Baidu Set to Launch Ernie 5, a Next-Generation AI Model in 2025
China's tech giant Baidu is gearing up to unveil its latest artificial intelligence model, Ernie 5, in the latter half of 2025, as revealed by a source familiar with the matter to Reuters. This new iteration is expected to boast advanced multimodal capabilities, allowing it to seamlessly handle various formats such as text, video, images, and audio, as reported by CNBC.
The upcoming launch of Ernie 5 comes amidst a competitive landscape in China's AI sector, with startups like DeepSeek making waves by offering cost-effective reasoning models that rival the performance of established players like OpenAI's GPT.
Despite being an early player in China's AI scene with the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, Baidu has faced challenges in gaining widespread adoption for its Ernie large language model. The company's latest version, Ernie 4, is said to be on par with OpenAI's GPT-4 capabilities, yet it has not seen the same level of user adoption as competitors like ByteDance's Doubao chatbot and the rising star DeepSeek.
Baidu's CEO, Robin Li, highlighted the unpredictable nature of innovation during a conference in Dubai, acknowledging DeepSeek's rapid ascent in the AI space. Li emphasised the importance of continued investment in data centres and cloud infrastructure, despite DeepSeek's success in challenging the cost efficiency of large AI models.
Baidu is preparing to launch Ernie 5, its next-generation AI model, in the latter half of 2025.
The new model will feature advanced multimodal capabilities for processing various formats.
Despite early AI initiatives, Baidu faces challenges in user adoption compared to domestic competitors.
Source: REUTERS